We know Sea to Summit for their roster of camping gear, which range from sleeping pads and hammocks to backpacks and tarp-based shelters. This time around, they’re jumping into full-fledged freestanding tents in the form of the Sea to Summit Telos TR2.
Yes, it looks much like most of the ultralight backpacking tents you’re going to find in the market, which should give you and your companion a comfy shelter to steer clear of the elements at camp. Except, it’s designed to provide superior ventilation, bigger room, and multiple pitching modes, making it a much more comfortable and versatile camp shelter option.
The Sea to Summit Telos TR2 is a two-person, three-season freestanding tent that incorporates a unique “tension ridge” design, which uses an inverted crossbeam pole to draw the ceiling higher and orient the walls much more vertically, compared to traditional backpacking tents. The result is a lot more space inside compared to similarly-sized tents, allowing you to enjoy a lot more room inside your shelter at camp without any added weight, along with taller doors for more convenient entry and exit. It has large vents both on top of the rainfly and at the base of the tent, with the former expelling warm air (hot air rises) and the latter making it easy to manage airflow to prevent condensation.
Inside, it’s pretty minimalistic, with just two mesh pockets at head level and a removable gear loft for any stuff you’re bringing inside. It uses PU-coated 15D nylon for the rainfly to ensure long-lasting waterproof performance, 15D polyester mesh for the inner tent to ensure maximum ventilation, and a 6-inch deep 20D nylon tub floor that’s light, waterproof, and tough. The pole is made from lightweight aluminum.
Aside from setting up as a freestanding tent, the Sea to Summit Telos TR2 can also be pitched without the rainfly (alternatively, you can install it and roll it back) for stargazing at night when the weather is clear and warm. Additionally, you can set up just the rainfly for use as a sunshade when combined with a pair of trekking poles, making it plenty functional as a covered shelter for an afternoon at the beach. When packed down, the tent collapses to a bag measuring 18.9 x 5.1 inches (length x diameter) that weighs a reasonably light (although probably not ultralight) 3.7 pounds.
The Sea to Summit Telos TR2 is available now, priced at $499.